Local wedding venue demolished after 30 years of operation. Here’s what’s happening with the property
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BIZ BUZZ
RIGBY
Commercial development in the works on property formerly occupied by Loft 745
RIGBY – It’s the end of an era for a longtime wedding venue in Rigby.
Over the weekend, Trellis Development tore down Loft 745 at 5 North 3800 East in Rigby. The wedding reception venue off County Line Road has operated at that location for decades.
Trellis Development is working with the landowners on a long-term commercial project at this location called County Line Crossroads. In a conversation with EastIdahoNews.com, Chief Development Officer Jake Thompson says the 126-acre development will include medical and professional offices, retail space, a rec center, convenience store and park.
He declined to name specific tenants because nothing has been finalized.
The entire buildout will take place over the next 10 years.
Thompson says multiple medical offices have already committed and that will be the first phase of construction. He anticipates it lasting about a year and hopes it will get underway next summer.
“We’ll have potentially 20 medical office buildings, around 6,000 to 8,000 square feet each,” CEO Bron Leatham says. “Our hope would be to start two or three of them (in 2026).”
But the immediate priority is roads and infrastructure, which Leatham says will likely be the main accomplishment in 2026.
Thompson says this project is an investment partnership between them, the landowners and individual tenants, meaning everyone involved has an ownership stake. Thompson says it’s not their intent to just build and sell it. Trellis is locally owned, and Thompson says they want to bring something that adds value to the community and gives people a reason to stop in Rigby.
“This is a partnership of local landowners who’ve been invested in the community for (nearly) a century,” says Leatham. “This is a partnership for their families to create and maintain a legacy.”
Thompson says the large volume of traffic at this location was the main draw for putting in a commercial development.
“This overpass is one of the busiest in eastern Idaho. Traffic going over the overpass on a daily basis is around 36,000 (vehicles),” says Thompson. “There’s a tremendous amount of people already driving by, and we want to give them a reason to stop.”
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Josh Foster, who managed Loft 745 with his wife, Georgia, for the last seven years, calls County Line Road “the gateway to Jefferson County” and he’s thrilled to be involved in helping to bring a large-scale commercial development to the area.
He says he and his parents, Boyd and Laurie Foster, who owned the Loft, have been approached numerous times over the years by interested buyers.
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“We’re most excited about Trellis because of all the amenities it will bring to Jefferson County and the quality of their developments. We were excited to work with a local crew as well. We wanted to bring something to Idahoans by Idahoans that Idahoans want,” Josh says.
Looking back and moving forward
The original Loft building opened around 1990, and its heyday was in the mid-’90s. Mark Tucker, who owns the surrounding 120 acres, helped start the business with his dad in 1985.
The Tuckers sold the business and the six acres around it to the Fosters in 2018.
Although closing the Loft was an emotional decision for Josh and his family, he says the timing is right for something new.
“This corner has (played a pivotal role in helping many couples start their lives together), but now it’s all about serviceability and sustainability. What the Loft did for 30 years, County Line Crossroads can do for the next 50, 60 years. This is really what’s going to establish Rigby as something beyond just housing,” says Josh.
Josh and his wife have written numerous books through their publishing company. They’re working on a book about their experiences at the Loft, which will be available soon.
Tucker expresses a similar sentiment. He describes it as a full-circle moment seeing an empty lot where the Loft once stood. He, too, is sad to see its demise, but he also believes Trellis Development’s vision is “exactly what the area needs.”
Leatham says they’ve already anticipated potential traffic concerns, and are working with the Idaho Transportation Department on a study to resolve the issue.
Trellis Development is actively recruiting tenants at this location. Leatham and his team welcome any input from the community, including interested business owners and others who want to be involved.
“We like to hear what people want and then we try to go get it,” Thompson says.
Thompson can be reached directly at (208) 520-7641. You can also visit the company’s website.
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